Ceiling system suspension clip and runner

ABSTRACT

A U-shaped clip is fastened directly to the ceiling joists. Into the clip is inserted a simple runner member to which is fastened the ceiling tile. The simplicity of the invention exists in the fact that the clip is fastened directly to the ceiling joists and no complicated suspension system is needed for the ceiling.

United States Patent [191 Hazeley [451 May 7,1974

[ CEILING SYSTEM SUSPENSION CLIP AND RUNNER [75] inventor:

[73] Assignee: Armstrong Cork Company,

' Lancaster, Pa.

[22] Filed: Apr. 12, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 243,270

James E. Hazeley, Lancaster, Pa.

[52] US. Cl. 248/317, 52/484 [51] Int. Cl...., F161 3/00 [58] Field of Search 248/317, 323, 327; 52/484,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,993,240 7/1961 Ericson 52/484 X Primary Examiner-J. Franklin Foss [5 7] ABSTRACT A U-shaped clip is fastened directly to the ceiling joists. Into the clip is inserted a simple runner member to which is fastened the ceiling tile. The simplicity of the invention exists in the fact that the clip is fastened directly to the ceiling joists and no complicated suspension system is needed for the ceiling.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention is directed to a suspended ceiling system and, more particularly, to a clip and runner structure for a suspended ceiling system.

2. Description of the Prior Art U. S. Pat. Nos. 3,046,620and 3,225,394 are both examples of clips which are fastened to a ceiling joist for the purpose of assisting in the suspending of a ceiling system. The clips are also fastened to furring strip members onto which the ceiling tile are nailed.

It is old in the art to provide suspended ceiling systems. Generally, main runner members are supported from the main structural ceiling. Then cross runner members are fastened to the main runner members and both the main runner and cross runner members are placed adjacent the ceiling panels to hold them in position. If ceiling tiles were to be mounted in the ceiling, then the ceiling tiles would be carried only by the cross runner members. In eithe case, a substantial amount of structural metal work is used to support the suspended ceiling. Herein is provided a very rapid and inexpensive way of fastening ceiling tile to the ceiling rafters of a building.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The suspended ceiling system herein is composed of two main components. The first component is a U- shaped clip which is used to fasten the ceiling system to the ceiling joists. The U-shaped clip has small hooks on the legs of the U, and these hooks face inwardly and grasp the sides of the ceiling joists when the clip is slid on the bottom of the ceiling joist. A slot arrangement is provided in the U-shaped clip for receiving a Z- shaped runner member, which is the second part of the suspended ceiling system. One portion of the Z is inserted into the U-shaped clip while the second portion of the Z is used to hold the ceiling tiles in position. By the use of the above simple two-part structure, it is very easy for the ordinary individual to place a suspended tile-type ceiling system in a'home BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. I is a front view of the clip invention herein;

FIG. II is a side view of the clip invention herein;

FIG. III is a front view of the invention in position; and

FIG. IV is a side view of the structure of FIG. III.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The suspended ceiling system invention herein is basically composed of two major components. The first component is shown in FIGS. I and II. In FIG. I, a U- shaped clip 2 is provided with a generally flat bottom stamped in the sides of the clip and are pointed so that they tend to dig into the sides of the ceiling joists. The

. tangs are pointed in the direction of the bottom of the U so that a downward pull on the clip, when it is placed on the joist, will tend to dig the tangs into the sides of the joists and provide a better gripping action of the clip on the joists. In FIG. II, there is shown a generally inverted, L-shaped cut-out 10 in the clip. The purpose of this structure will be set out later. Also there may be provided a hole 12 in which a nail may be provided to further assist in the fastening of the clip to a ceiling joist. A curved member 14 is punched out from the bottom 4 of the clip 2. This is positioned in approximately the center region of the flat bottom 4 of the clip. Its purpose will be set forth later on.

' The second major part of the ceiling suspension system is the Z member 16 which is shown in FIG. IV. This Z member 16 is placed with one leg of the Z in the slot 10 of the clip 2. Referring to FIG. III, it will be seen that the upper flange 18 of the Z which is in the slot 10 is up against the bottom 20 of the ceiling joist. The two sides 6 of the clip are against the sides 22 and 24 of the ceiling joist and the tangs 8 are dug into the sides of the ceiling joist. Element 14 functions as a means to apply pressure against the Z member 16 to provide frictional engagement of the clip to the Z member so that the clip may be positioned and held where desired on the Z member prior to engagement with the joists. The opposite end 26 of the Z member is inserted into a conventional kerf structure 28 in a tongue and groove ceiling tile arrangement which is conventional in the art. The Z member may be modified to have two flanges engage the ceiling tile; that is, flange 26 may be supplemented by a second flange in the same plane, but on the opposite side of the web 27. The tongue and groove arrangement 30 for the ceiling tiles 32 is common in the art and is a simple way of fastening two adjacent ceiling tiles together so that they will mutually support each other.

By providing a plurality of the clip members on a series of adjacent joists and by sliding the Z member into the cut-outs 10 of the clips 2, there is provided a flange structure 26 which is capable of receiving and support ing the ceiling tiles. By spacing a plurality of the Z members in parallel rows adjacent to each other, separated by the width of a ceiling tile, it is possible to install a complete ceiling system fastened directly to the ceiling joists of a room. There is thus provided a very simple two-part structure for suspending ceiling tiles from the ceiling joists of a home. This structure is very simple to install and thus may be readily installed by the average person.

It should be noted that the cut-out 10 may not be needed if some other structure, such as a snap-on or clamp means, is used to fasten the Z member 16 to the clip 2.

What is claimed is:

l. A ceiling suspension system comprising a generally U-shaped clip with two resilient legs which are normally spaced apart a distance less than that of the width of a ceiling joist so that the clip may be slid on the bottom of a ceiling joist and will resiliently engage the sides of the ceiling joist and be held in position by the resilient engagement, a bottom section joining together the two legs, means which constitute an integral part of the bottom section used with the bottom section for receiving a runner member which is fastened to the clip,

means for fastening the runner member to the clip is an.

inverted L-shaped channel cut in the side of the clip.

4. The ceiling system of claim 3 wherein the runner is generally Z-shaped and one leg of the Z is engaged in the L-shaped cut-out of the clip and the other leg of the Z is the horizontal flange which supports the ceiling units.

5. A ceiling suspension system comprising a generally U-shaped clip with two resilient side legs which are normally spaced apart a distance less than that of the width of a ceiling joist so that the clip may be slid on the bottom of a ceiling joist and will resiliently engage the sides of the ceiling joist, said U-shaped clip also having a bottom section joining together the two leg structures, said bottom section of the clip and the lower portion of the legs of the clip being provided with a fixed size-nonyielding slot structure, which extends through the bottom of the clip and the bottom of the legs of the clip in the same plane which contains the legs and bottom section of the clip, said slot structure being used for receiving a runner member which is fastened to the clip, said runner member having a horizontal flange extending below the clip member and adapted to receive and support ceiling units, and said slot structure and said runner member having their coacting parts so shaped that the runner member is held in position within the slot structure.

6. The suspension system of claim 5 wherein the resilient sides of the clip are provided with tangs to assist in the holding of the clip member to the sides of the ceiling joists.

7. The suspension system of claim 6 wherein the means for fastening the runner member to the clip and holding the runner member relative to the clip is an inverted L-shaped slot cut in the side of the clip.

8. The ceiling system of claim 7 wherein the runner is generally Z-shaped and-one leg of theZ is engaged in the L-shaped slot of the clip and the other leg of the Z is the horizontal flange which supports the ceiling units. 

1. A ceiling suspension system comprising a generally U-shaped clip with two resilient legs which are normally spaced apart a distance less than that of the width of a ceiling joist so that the clip may be slid on the bottom of a ceiling joist and will resiliently engage the sides of the ceiling joist and be held in position by the resilient engagement, a bottom section joining together the two legs, means which constitute an integral part of the bottom section used with the bottom section for receiving a runner member which is fastened to the clip, said runner member having a horizontal flange extending below the clip member and ceiling units supported thereby.
 2. The suspension system of claim 1 wherein the resilient sides of the clip are provided with tangs to assist in the holding of the clip member to the sides of the ceiling joists.
 3. The suspension system of claim 2 wherein the means for fastening the runner member to the clip is an inverted L-shaped channel cut in the side of the clip.
 4. The ceiling system of claim 3 wherein the runner is generally Z-shaped and one leg of the Z is engaged in the L-shaped cut-out of the clip and the other leg of the Z is the horizontal flange which supports the ceiling units.
 5. A ceiling suspension system comprising a generally U-shaped clip with two resilient side legs which are normally spaced apart a distance less than that of the width of a ceiling joist so that the clip may be slid on the bottom of a ceiling joist and will resiliently engage the sides of the ceiling joist, said U-shaped clip also having a bottom section joining together the two leg structures, said bottom section of the clip and the lower portion of the legs of the clip being provided with a fixed size-nonyielding slot structure, which extends through the bottom of the clip and the bottom of the legs of the clip in the same plane which contains the legs and bottom section of the clip, said slot structure being used for receiving a runner member which is fastened to the clip, said runner member having a horizontal flange extending below the clip member and adapted to receive and support ceiling units, and said slot structure and said runner member having their coacting parts so shaped that the runner member is held in position within the slot structure.
 6. The suspension system of claim 5 wherein the resilient sides of the clip are provided with tangs to assist in the holding of the clip member to the sides of the ceiling joists.
 7. The suspension system of claim 6 wherein the means for fastening the runner member to the clip and holding the runner member relative to the clip is an inverted L-shaped slot cut in the side of the clip.
 8. The ceiling system of claim 7 wherein the runner is generally Z-shaped and one leg of the Z is engaged in the L-shaped slot of the clip and the other leg of the Z is the horizontal flange which supports the ceiling units. 